The Road Home
by M14Mouse
Summary: As long as Vida could remember, she wanted to leave Brairwood. No matter where we go, who we see, what we do…nothing beats home. If you really look hard VidaxChip pairing.


The Road Home

By: M14Mouse

Summary: As long as Vida could remember, she wanted to leave Brairwood. No matter where we go, who we see, what we do…nothing beats home. Slight hint of VidaxChip pairing.

Disclaimer: Don't own them. How sad.

30_kisses theme: 20. road home.

Timeline: Pre-Mystic Force

The first time she decided to run away from home, she was nine.

Her parents were big meanies for grounding her. It wasn't her fault. It was Billy's fault because he wouldn't leave her sister alone. She had to do something. Oh no…mom said that she shouldn't fight. That she should act like a lady. She didn't want to be a lady. They wear those stupid dresses. Stupid dresses don't protect Maddie! So, there!

She left a note for mom, dad, and Maddie that she is going to live at Uncle Lee's house. He liked her. He wouldn't mind if she stayed at his house. The only person left to tell was Chip. So, she ran over to Chip's house to tell him. To her surprise, he ran up the driveway to meet her.

"V…V…Abby is giving birth! Uncle Danny says I can watch. Want to come too?" Chip said as he bounced from side to side.

She frowned. She wanted to get Uncle Lee's house before dark. But she never saw a horse give birth before. She had to decide. A horse giving birth would be more interesting….She bit her lower lip as she stared at Chip. He titled his head and stared back.

"V?"

"I…Uhh…Come on!"

She grabbed his hand and headed toward the barn.

Watching a horse give birth was nasty…but she couldn't wait to tell Maddie all about it.

The thoughts of running away disappeared…for now.

The second time she decided to run away from home, she was thirteen.

Her parents were still stupid. This time, it was over boys. She just wanted to go to the dance with a boy. Her parents argued with her that she wasn't ready. She wasn't ready the last time…or the time before that….or time before that. She argued back that Chip was a boy and her parents didn't mind him. Dad always answered that Chip is innocent. He doesn't have such thoughts. She snored to herself. Dad doesn't know what she and Chip have been looking at.

Well…more like what she has been showing him in the magazine and him blushing like a tomato.

Instead of running to Uncle Lee's house, she ran to their tree in the park. She thought it would be a good idea to punish her parents. When they didn't see her in the room, they would panic and try to find her. Serve them right.

"V? What are you doing up?" A voice rang out.

She looked to see Chip near the bottom of the tree.

"I'm punishing my parents." She shouted. He blinked at her before he started to climb up the tree. Once he made it to the top, he took a seat next to her.

"Oh."

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Chess practice!"

"Oh…"

"Why are you punishing your mom and dad?"

"They won't let me go out with a boy to the dance."

"Ah."

"Chip?" She said as she looked over at him.

"Yes?" He said as he tilted his head slightly.

"When you grow up….do you want to run away from Brairwood and never come back?"

"No…not really."

"Why? I thought you wanted to go on adventures and stuff"

She blinked in surprise.

"Oh, I do. I want to go to Japan…and…London…and Africa…I want to see it all! But…"

"But what?"

"But the point of an adventure is to share it with everyone. I want to tell mom all of the neat stuff I saw. I want bring home the most interesting stuff to show my cousins. To show them the world…until they are old enough to see it for themselves. I want to take lot of pictures to show you…and Maddie…and my family…."

Suddenly, he became silent.

"Chip?" She said with a frown.

"Uncle Danny told me once…that adventures are fun and all…but able to come home after an adventure made it all worth while. I think he's right."

"Oh."

"V?"

"Yes?"

"If you leave Briarwood…would you come back?"

"Of course!"

"But you just said…"

"I would come back to see you…and sis…and mom and dad…even if they are being stupid heads."

He smiled at her brightly

"Good…would send me letters?"

"I don't like writing letters, Chip."

"Funny postcards? I still have the ones you sent me from camp."

"Chip! I was like eight."

"So? They were funny! My favorite is the one you drew yourself catching a fire fly." He said happily.

"I think I was climbing the flag pole."

"Oh…" He said as he looked over at her. Suddenly, she burst out laughing and he soon joined her.

She never figured out how he did that. She forgot all about her parents and their stupid rules. When Mrs. Thorn came to pick up Chip, she offered to take her home. No one was the wiser.

Finally, she did leave home after high school. She got an internship at a radio station but it was in a different town. Mom and dad were able to get her a small apartment and she landed a part time job somewhere else. Her sister was in tears. Xander was being Xander but she knew he would miss her. He is just a big sap inside. Right before she left, Chip walked up and hugged her.

"Funny postcards?" He whispered into her ear. She laughed.

"Of course. But I'm not going to draw myself climbing up a flag pole."

He laughed as he broke away. Then he did something he never did before. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. She blushed slightly and he smiled.

"Bye, V…talk to you soon!" He said as he waved to her.

….

You know…he was right about that adventure thing. She was excited about the gig at the radio station and made some great friends but her thoughts always moved back to home. Even with the phone calls everyday, she still wondered about them. She wondered how Maddie was doing on her video making. Did Xander have a steady girlfriend yet? Better yet, is there a girl able to handle him? Was Chip still being Chip? She wished she knew.

She wished that she was there.

When she heard a guy need a dj for his store back in Brairwood, she jumped at the chance. As fast as she could, she moved back home. Of course, coming home came with a welcome home party. Throughout the night, there were tears, hugs, and stories. She laughed when Maddie explained Xander's latest dating adventures. Xander told her about Maddie's latest mistakes with the camera. Chip told her everything else that everyone left out.

She didn't know how long he talked....but once he stopped, silence full the air between them.

Slowly, he got up and hugged her.

"I'm glad you're back, V." He said softly.

"Me too." She said.

"I forgot to send you the last postcard before you came home." He said.

"Oh…what did it say?"

"Welcome to Ohio."

She laughed.

It is good to be home.

End

A/N: This ends my thirty kisses challenge. Oh, what fun it has been. How long and tedious too. XD Anyway…I don't really have anything else to say. Read and review if you wish.


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